Separate accommodation for women prisoners

(1) The Government may establish such number of exclusive prisons for women prisoners, time to time as it may consider necessary, to accommodate women prisoners. In a prison housing women as well as men prisoners, women prisoners shall be kept in a separate building or a separate part of the same building, with a separate entrance, in such a manner that they do not come into contact with men prisoners. All basic facilities as provided in the prison for men may also be provided to women prisoners, along with such other facilities that meet their gender specific needs. (2) A separate female ward in the prison hospital maybe created for women prisoners. (3) In case of exclusive women prison and women enclosure/female ward, only women prison officials and staff shall be deputed. Male prison Officials and security staff can be deployed for duties outside such prison or enclosure and can be called inside by the officer-in-charge or the officer on duty, only in case of any situation of emergency or prison offence, as may be prescribed by the rules. (4) Women prisoners may be provided access to correctional programs and activities which take into account their gender specific needs.